Crab press



F. BENOIT CRAB PRESS June 18, 1968 Filed May 4. 1966 W w O W W W United States Patent O 3,388,422 CRAB PRESS Forrest Benoit, 3506 Monrow St., Lake Charles, La. 70601 Filed May 4, 1966, Ser. No. 547,505 4 Claims. (Cl. 17-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A press for pressing crabmeats, the press including a seat upon which the crabmeat is placed, the press arm that is vertically `pu1led downward by an operator's foot so to bear against the upper side the meat, and the press arm having a hand operated handle so to allow the press arm |to be pivoted and to roll over the meat so to squeeze out the juice therefrom.

This nvention relates generally to food pressing machinery. More specifically it relates to a crabmeat processing device.

The principal object of the present nvention is to provide a crab press used for pressing 'the meat out of crabs.

Another object of the present nvention is to provide a crab press which will replace the use of simple kitchen tools which heretofore were used for accomplshing the same in a relatively primitive manner, the present device performing the operation in a more thorough and eflicient manner.

Other objects of the present nvention are toprovide a crab press which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, rapid in performance and easy to use.

These andother objects will bel readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of the present in- Vention,

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of certain parts thereof, and

FIGURES 3 to 6 show subsequent sets in |the preparation of a crab prior to insertion into the present machine.

Referring now to the drawing now in detail 10 represents a crab press according to the present nvention wherein there is a frame 11 supported upon a base 12 by means of bolts 13 or the like. A clamp 14 is secured by rivets or bolts 15 to the rear side 16 of the frame 11, the clamp having a stationary jaw 17 and an adjustable jaw 18 at the end of a threaded bolt 19, rotatable by means of a flat pad 20 for securement of device to the edge of a table or the like.

A press box 21 is secured to the front side 22 of the frame 11. The press box includes a rear panel 23, a pair of opposite side panels 24 and a relatively thick oaken block 25 secured between the side panels by means of screws 26. A seat 27 is formed upon the upper side of the block 25 due to the upwardly projecting opposite side panels 24 and upwardly projecting rear panel 23. As shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing the side panels 24 relatively lower in height than the rear panel 23.

A press arm 28, shown in FIGURE 2, includes a handle 29 and a body 30, the body 30 being of relatively narrower width than the space between the side panels 24, `so as to permit the body 30 to fit therebetween. The body 30 has fa generally accurate lower side 31 as shown. An opening 32 extends horizontally through the body 30 for receiving a bolt 33 therethrough, the opposite ends of the bolt being pivotally secured to the opposite upper ends of Vertically depending steel bars 34. The steel bars 34 extend downwardly adjacent to the outer sides of the side panels 24, the lower ends of the steel bars 34 being Fatented June 18, 1968 pivotally secured by means of a bolt 35 to a foot pedal 36 which is pivotally connected at one end on a pin 37 mounted in the base 12, the opposite end of the foot pedal being configurated for placement of a workmaifs foot 38 thereupon.

A table 39 is mounted upon the front side 22 of the frame 11 and is rigidly supported thereto by means of a brace or bracket 40 on the underside thereof as shown in FIGURE 1 wherein the brace is secured to the forward side 22 of the frame.

A return mechanism 41 for normally raising the foot pedal comprises a spring 42 secured at its upper end to an eye bolt 43 mounted on the under side of the table 39, the lower end of the spring being |hooked to the upper end of a chain 44, the lowered end of the chain being secured to the foot pedal. The chain provides adjustment at its upper end where it is secured to the spring.

In operative use the crab is first prepared prior to insertion into the present machine. As shown in FIGURES 3 to 6 the crab 45 is first scalded in boiling water for approximately 4 minutes, after which the back 46 of the crab comprising a hard shell is removed. Thereafter the feet 47 are cut off relatively close to the body. Thereafter the filters 48, tail 49, eyes 50 and the front generally of the crab is cleaned away. The remaning crabmeat shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawing and designated with the reference numeral 51 is now cut into two pieces as shown in FIGURE 6 to form crabmeat halves 52. The crabmeat halves 52 may now be placed uopn the seat 27 of the press box with the portion of the crabmeat that Originally had the feet adjacent thereto being placed toward the rear of the press box. The operator then presses down on the foot pedal to cause the press arm 28 to descend over the crabmeat with the arcuate side 31 bearing against the upper side of the meat. The operator then with his hand 53 pulls forwardly on the handle 29 to cause the arcuate surface 31 to roll against the meat to cause the same to be squeezed and force the juices 54 to be drained forwardly out of the forward part of the press box and to drip into a dish 55 placed upon the table 39. A return spring 56 mounted at one end on bolt 33 and at its opposite end on a pin 57 normally urges the press arm to return again into normal Vertical position after use.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present nvention as is defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a crab press, the combination of a Vertical frame, a base at the lower end of said Vertical frame, a clamp -on the rear side of said frame, said clamp providing means for securement to a table or the like, a press box secured upon the front side of said frame, a press arm moveable within said press box for pressing crabmeat placed Within said press box and means for lowering said press arm into said press box, said means comprising a foot pedal secured at its one end to said base, the lower end of a pair of Vertical bars being pivotally secured to said foot pedal, the upper end of said bars being secured pivotally free to said press arm, a return mechanism for said press arm and a return mechanism for said foot pedal.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said press box comprises a rear panel, opposite side panels an-d an oaken block between said side panels, said panels forming a seat upon the upper side of said oaken block.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said press arm comprises a handle at its upper end, a main body at its lower end, said main body having an arcuate lower side, said press arm being receivable within said seat of said press box, a transfer bolt extendng through said main body of said press arm, the opposite ends of said bolts providing securement for the upper ends of said Vertical bars.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein a table is secured upon the front side of said frame for supporting a dish to catch the drippings from crabmeat during pressing operation.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1955 Smith. 2/1961 Allen.

LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner. 

